Appreciation

Yesterday, I grow a fond appreciation of rush hour traffic back home. For years I had thought to myself, why are the freeways always so packed, everyday at the same time. I mean sure its cause we all work 9-5 and work in the same area, live in the same area, but with all the measures they have made to curb the jams, it only seems to be getting worse.

Then I got to Rome, and yes, they too have rush hour traffic, the early mornings and the late afternoons are bustling with cars, motorcycles and buses that treat the road like their personal playground, as if no one else occupied the same cobblestone street they are on. But they also have something else, and that is traffic at all times of the day. I was heading to class at 10 am, taking one of my many routes on the buses to get to the tram that drops me off mere footsteps from the building in which I have class. Thats when I noticed all the buses were jam packed with people. The streets were covered in cyclists and cars and it took 20 minutes to travel a distance that is typically covered in about 2. I look at everyone on the bus, and their nonchalant attitudes perplexed me. Do these people not have anywhere to be at 10 30 in the morning. They already break for Riposo(ciesta in Spain, a nap time if you will) between 1 and 3:30, so when if at all, do these people get business done. I had to calm myself down and realize being late to class is such a petty issue to concernmyself with, but the greater picture remained...do Romans simply work when they please and leave progression to the rest of the world to take care of. Or, are they are gypsies, and mysteriously get work done while traveling about the city.

I mean not to offend the Romans, and i am sure it is just a cultural misunderstanding that I hope to educate myself on by the end of my stay. But one month in and my head still spins, oh what a city, damn what a pity.